Monday, August 7, 2017

Septure, a Place and Adventure in Ardeal

Septure, a Place and Adventure in Ardeal

This adventure/location is for my Ardeal Setting. The system being used for this I use Sabres and Witchery, which is a variant of Swords and Wizardry. Both available for free. It can be easily converted to any OSR, D&D, or even 5e D&D at a GM's preference. This adventure is written with first level characters in mind. Now this can start any way the GM sees fit. Perhaps the characters start in the traditional fashion, meeting and joining up together in the tavern. Or perhaps they are already a group, riding into town after a long journey through the wilderness. Regardless, the hamlet should be a pleasant respite from the dreary wilderness.

The sleepy little farming hamlet of Septure is located in the Întuneric Forest, along the Grey Mountain river. Build atop the ruins of a town destroyed hundreds of years ago in the great purge. The only remaining feature of the previous town is part of ancient the sewers. The hamlet consists of a tavern, blacksmith, and gristmill. Regardless where the characters go. Be it the tavern, blacksmith, or gristmill the locals of Septure are filled with rumors.

The Tavern
The Wolf's Head tavern is a small, dark slat board building. The lower floor consists of the public room, and bar. The upstairs contains three rooms for rent. Run by Markus an ornery man of ill disposition, and body. His only employee is Sofia, a pretty girl with an empty head.
Typically a few farmers can be found here in the evening. Hard working folk of generally good disposition. Artimus the town drunk can be found here all day. Drunk, friendly, mostly reliable, he is always looking to make some coin to pay his bar tab.

Those dunderheads Sven and Ollie were hired to set traps in the sewer to catch those imaginary rats. No one's seen them in a couple days. They took that money and let left. Grigore from the gristmill was a fool for hiring those louts.

I'm worried about Sven and Ollie. They've been down in the sewers for days.

Grigore's wife has been sneaking about with Victor the Blacksmith. A reckoning is bound to come.

Markus hasn't always been such a jerk. His attitude turned sour when his daughter left the hamlet with that Black Friar.

Have you heard about the village Bodružal? People have gone missing.

Sven and Ollie have been playing tricks on people down by the river, and now that idiot Grigore is paying them to prank. A pack of fools they all are.

Something evil has crept into the sewers. I don't know what, but I can hear it, feel it.

Something's not been right with Grigore at the mill for a while now.

The Blacksmith

The Blacksmith shop is a collection of small stone buildings. Run by Victor, a mountain of a man. With a heart bigger than the tallest oak. He offers a range of common iron wares. (No weapons, besides a wood axe) Glad to engage in conversation.Unless it turns toward the miller's wife. He is then very quiet.

No one's seen Sven and Ollie since they went into the sewers. I'm worried about them.

Something's wrong with Grigore the miller. He hasn't been himself in a couple of months.

Markus wasn't always the sourpuss he is. It wasn't till his daughter ran away with that thieving vagabond.

Fisherman have said something big is stealing their bait, and wrecking their nets.

The Gristmill
The gristmill is run by Grigore. A haggard man, that visibly appears to have a lot on his mind. The gristmill is run by Grigore and his wife. A black haired petite woman, that would be a looker if it wasn't for the large bruise on her face. Gregore will be friendly with the characters. Becoming slightly aggressive if asked about his wife, or the blacksmith. She will not speak, save for simple yes or no answers. He will ask if the characters have seen Sven and Ollie. Inquiring if can hire them to go into the sewers to find them. Strange sounds have come from the sewers, and a few of the towns folks animals have gone missing. So Swen and Ollie were hired to go down into the sewers and set traps. They have been down there two days. Grigore fears for their safety. Grigore would like to hire the group, a stout assembly of adventurers, to go into the sewers, find out what's down there and hopefully rescue Swen and Ollie. He doesn't expect the characters to do this out of the goodness in their hearts. He is offering a hundred gold pieces. Plus, anything they find in the sewers they can keep. (Remember these are first level characters, so one hundred gold pieces, even divided is big money.)

Markus has been acting shadier than usual. I think he's stealing from customers as they sleep.

Victor the blacksmith is a bad person. Don't let him fool you. Watch yourself around him.

Sven and Ollie are good lads. Something's not right with them being away so long.

Somethings stealing the fishermen's catches on the rivers.

If they accept Grigores offer to search the sewers he will guide them to the sewer entrance at the river. Leading from the river into the sewer is a black iron bar gate. Grigore will go no farther than the gate. Inside the sewer is built from simple grey stone blocks, with an arched ceiling. Moist and covered in moss and slime, it feels slippery to the touch. The center of each corridor is a 4 foot wide trench which the refuse flowed in. Each side of the trench there is a three foot wide cobblestone walkway. Thru the trench flows murky, stinking water.

1. This tunnel contains foothold traps, spring loaded jaws--bear-trap style, well traps. 1d4 traps. Make a Saving throw or 1d4 damage. Unless of course someone has found them already.

2. The catch basin, multiple clay pipes empty into this room. Where the tainted water collects and flows out. It's also the home to a group of 1d6 Devil Frogs. Searching the murky water will reveal 4d6 copper pieces.

3. This tunnel contains foothold traps, spring loaded jaws--bear-trap style, well traps. 1d4 traps. Make a Saving throw or 1d4 damage. Unless of course someone has found them already.

4. This tunnel has a group of Devil Frogs gathered here. As well as the well chewed on corpses of Sven and Ollie. If they search the bodies they will find a total of 12 gold pieces, and a sack of 2 traps.

5. This catch basin, is the lair of the Giant Devil Frogs. 1d6-1 Frogs can be found here. Searching the murky water will reveal 4d6 copper pieces, 2d6 electrum pieces, and a ruby worth 25 gold pieces.

Any time the water is entered there is a 5% chance the character contracts a disease. A saving throw is permitted if they fail they die 1d6 days later. If successful the character after the sewer adventure becomes ill and is bed ridden for 30 days. At the end of which there is a chance the disease proves fatal. Make a save, if successful. Character is cured. If they fail, they die. (GM may allow a second roll to confirm the failure) The spell Cure Disease will cure this infection.

Devil Frog

AC: 12
HD: 1-1
Attacks: Bite
Special: None
Move: 12
HDE/XP: 1/10

These are huge red skinned frogs. Minimally 2' long, and weigh 10-15lbs. They do not have teeth. But the jaw bone protrudes through its gums. This jaw bone is serrated like a hacksaw blade. They are carnivorous, and very aggressive.

These immense frogs can grow to the size of a donkey, and weigh up to 250lbs. The are bright red like their smaller brethren and have the same hacksaw jaw bone teeth. The giant frogs have 15' long tongues, and on a successful hit they are able to yank any being the size of a dwarf or smaller toward their mouths for a bite attack. Victims no larger than a halfling may be swallowed on an attack roll of 20. Any creature swallowed will suffer 1d6 hit points of damage per round as the frog digests it.

Notes: This is a subtle revision of an adventure I have ran in the past, for my Ardeal setting. Its weird trying to write this out. Hope its up to you folks standards. Or if nothing else can be easily savaged into what you want or need. Yes the map says Carp River. the Settings changed. Deal with it. I'm not going to mess with changing it. Again deal with it. It's OK trust me, I play a doctor on TV.

About Me

I am thought to be exiled gentry, a vagabond, a scandalous rogue, a troubadour, armchair tactician, amateur grifter, self taught mechanic, would be author, adventurer, rogue scholar, traveler of strange lands, and an all round near do well.